Taking Over, For A Break Over
by Chick'llDanceInTheFlame
Summary: We work together to secure our own future. We don't need anyone else but each other. So why do they think we don't belong together? Everyone. The adults, our so-called friends. Whatever. I've got our future, and our past, to worry about. ChadKelsi
1. Party Time

Chapter 1

"Take it off, boys!!!!" Gabriella shouted. Troy and half the basketball team started pulling their shirts over their heads, making every girl in the room squeal in delight. To add to the fan fare, they started flexing, and succeeded in turning the squeals into even more high-pitched screams. As Kelsi pushed her way into the living room, she swore she threw up a little in her throat. Though that might have been contributed to the drink she had had earlier that she'd found out a little to late had been spiked by Zeke.

"Watch were you're going," some random cheerleader said to her. Kelsi ignored her. The girl wasn't worth stating a fight. She was mad enough as it was.

"You boys _suck_ at poker," Sharpay slurred as she picked up all the cards from the last hand they'd played. She, herself sitting there without a shirt, tried to deal out another one.

"We're not the only ones without skills," Zeke pointed out, trying to reach out and grab his girlfriend.

Chad noticed Kelsi from across the room. He sent her a quick wink. She responded by sending him back a dirty look. Chad looked down sheepishly. _Good riddance_.

"Behave, baby," Sharpay continued, trying to lean over Zeke and kiss him, but she just succeeded in tipping over into his lap. The circle erupted into drunken giggles.

"Sharpay, I don't think you're in the right condition to be dealing," Ryan said, just as drunkenly trying to pull the deck from her hands.

Kelsi rolled her eyes. Sitting there watching the who's who of East High get drunk of their asses was not her idea of fun. She didn't come to parties for this exact reason. The bottle of water she was drinking couldn't even be trusted. With the booze flying around and who knows what drugs and sexual acts being done in the back rooms of the Evan's mansion, she couldn't help but try and figure out what she was doing here. Chad had only got her to come by telling her that this was supposed to be a mellow party. _Just a few friends_, he'd said. Right now, she'd hate to see what something considered crazy was. When she walked in the door earlier she'd had cups pushed into her hands and people hooting and hollering about getting the well-known goody two shoes drunk. She would've turned around right then and there, but Chad was persistent.

"You need to get out of the house."

"Chad, I'm gonna kill you," she'd said.

"Yes, yes, and yet you still love me," he said, presenting the fact that no matter what, that fact was true. Kelsi slapped him. He must have had experience in telling people off because he'd been doing it for her all night.

Now Chad was sitting there in the middle of the poker game, fully clothed and sober, but probably just as willing to give the girls a thrill as Troy was. It didn't bother her because she knew that he'd never stray from her. He couldn't. Not after all they'd been through.

Over the next few minutes more clothing came off of the group sitting in the middle of the floor. Almost the entire party had gathered around, and Kelsi couldn't blame them. The average high schooler was probably easily enthused by seeing the "in crowd" playing such a _riskay_ game as they were. Deconstructed royalty was such a rarity at this school, and people soaked it in when it came. Watching the golden boys, drama queens, and so-called geniuses taking it all off was their form of entertainment. But you've got to remember, Kelsi wasn't the exactly the average high schooler.

"Hey, hey, hey, where do you think you're going, Kelsi Bellsi?" Jason said, stopping her from making an exit. He was waving a cup around and using some cutesy nickname Kelsi'd never heard in her life.

"Get out of my way, Jason," Kelsi said sternly.

"Why should I? Come on, I think I should stay right here," he said, pretending to plant his feet down into the ground. Kelsi wasn't amused.

"Shut up, Jason, just move," Kelsi commanded, not seeing what a stir she was making. Most of the room was staring in her direction. No more poker was being played, and everyone was watching the exchange like an interesting movie. _Great._

"Are you going to let me through or not?" she asked when Jason didn't listen.

"You know what, Nelson, you need to relax," he said, reaching into his back pocket. "Here, try this."

He placed a short white stick into her one of her hands. What little noise left in the house was gone. Suddenly Kelsi felt Chad's hands wrap around her biceps. The anger coming through the breaths he was breathing into her ears was intense. Jason placed a smug look on his face. All right, that was it. She'd had it.

She snatched the cup from Jason's hand and without hesitation dumped it's contents over his head. Ooo's and Ahh's erupted from the room as Jason stood there soaked in beer and who knows what else was in the cup, his mouth open in disbelief. Kelsi immediately twisted from Chad's grip and stormed out of the room. Before she was out of earshot she heard Chad start yelling at Jason. She navigated her way through the now deserted hallways, and blindly made it to the front porch. She didn't shut the door behind her; she just kept going until she hit the railing. The fresh air was a great change from the smoke filled, congested air inside. A small breeze was blowing in scents from all the flowers in the front yard. The sound of a door slam found her ears. She turned around slowly to find Chad standing there, his arms crossed across his chest. Kelsi folded her arms over her chest, and avoided his eyes.

"Well?" he said.

"Well, what?" she responded.

Chad gave her the 'I'm-not-that-stupid' kind of look.

"I don't need your friends offering me drugs, Chad!" she finally said to him.

"You say that like it's my fault!" Chad countered.

"It is Chad. If you hadn't insisted in bringing me here this never would've happened. I don't see what was so wrong with me staying at home tonight. You know I can't stand these people and vice versa."

"Kelsi, calm down," he said, stopping her from flailing her arms around.

"No, Chad I won't calm down," she said, pulling out of his grasp. "You know I'm right. Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it isn't there."

"What reason do they have to not like you?"

"Stupid question," she said, turning her back on him.

Kelsi breathed in the scent of the rosebushes that Sharpay's mom was so anal about keeping perfect. The fragrance was calming, and slowly her rage subsided. She listened to Chad's footsteps as he paced slowly across the wooden planks that made up the porch.

"You don't need to do this," she said after a while.

"Do what?" he asked, stopping.

"Try and get me up to A group status," she said, leaning on the banister.

"Who said I was trying to do that?"

"Quit being a smart ass," she said, looking out over the front gardens.

"Listen," Chad sighed, placing his hands over her own that were resting on the railing, "I know you've never see eye-to-eye with people like Sharpay or Zeke or… Taylor. But what you've got to realize that no matter what I'll always choose you over them."

"I know that."

"Good, but you just have got to know that you can't avoid these people. It's inevitable that you'll have to be forced to socialize with them because, well, I guess of me. You're a strong girl, Kelsi, and the last thing I want to see is you broken down. Don't show them your weaknesses, they thrive off of that. Those are your business."

"You are my only weakness, Chad," she said.

"I know," he said, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear. Kelsi slid of her seat and into his arms. Chad pulled her close, and buried his head into her hair. The familiar herbal scent hit his nostrils and felt like home to him. He squeezed her even harder, not wanting to feel the pang of regret he did when he let her go. Thank goodness she pulled away first.

"Let's go home," she said.

"Alright," he said, slipping an arm around her shoulders.

* * *

Hey all, I'm starting this up again. Replacing the first chapter and posting new ones. Reviews are loved as always.


	2. All Those Thoughts: Chad Part One

"_Why does the sun have to shine so brightly_?" Kelsi asked herself as the rays poured into her window causing her to wake up involuntarily. "_What time is it_?" She dare not open her eyes to look because if she did, there was a very large chance that she'd not be able to get herself back into the zombie like state that existed in between the realms of sleep and awake. After all, it's when she did her best thinking. She could probably solve all the world's problems if she was allowed to just lie in bed all day.

The mattress creaked beneath her. Chad was shifting around beside her. If Kelsi'd learned one thing over the past few months it was that Chad kicked and fidgeted while he slept_. A lot_. Half the time they woke up with the sheets at their feet because of him. Just one of the many minor annoyances she'd learned to deal with recently. "_Man, there are a lot of those_."

But this time Chad wasn't moving absentmindedly like he always did. Kelsi felt his arm snaked around her waist. He rested his chin on her shoulder, and he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before sliding out from under the covers. Kelsi rolled over to his side of the bed and buried her face in his pillow, taking in the scent. Mostly it was just his cologne, plus a dash of laundry soap and sweat. That combo, as weird as it seemed, was essentially Chad.

She lay there for a little while longer, mind drifting back and forth between this and that.

"_Did I turn that scholarship form_?"

"_Does Mrs. Darbus need that song by Monday or Tuesday_?"

"_Have I cashed my paycheck yet_?"

"_When's my history test_?"

Then another smell wafted in through the open bedroom door. "_Hazelnut coffee_," she thought, mouth watering. Her favorite. Wait, Chad hated coffee. Kelsi pulled herself out of the bed and went into the front room to investigate. Their black coffee maker was bubbling away, but he was nowhere in sight. She wrinkled her forehead in confusion. "_Do we have a magic appliance in our kitchen or something_?" Then she saw a white note sitting on the small table in the middle of the apartment.

— **Kelsi**

**Out playing basketball with the guys. Made you coffee. Be back by the time you're done with work. We'll stay home tonight, I promise. Love you. **

**Chad **

"Good ol' Chad," Kelsi thought with a smile. He'd do the stupidest things to make up for doing the stupidest things. Really, how was coffee going to make her feel better? She was around it all day at work, technically she should be sick of it.

"_But it's the thought that counts_," she guessed.

She poured a cup of the black stuff, and leaned against the fridge, taking in the dismal appearance of the place she called home: the little card table that she and Chad used to eat on, the torn up couch sitting a few feet away from her, a tiny TV in front of it. There was one door next to the bedroom that led to the bathroom, another on the other side of the space that led to the hallway. It was a nice place for two high school students to live alone in. She was proud of it and herself. The two had put together a pretty good life for themselves over the past couple months.

Though, that original life they'd started had been meant for so much more.

* * *

Chad stepped slowly onto the familiar cement court, basketball in his hands. He took a deep breath and dribbled the ball a few times. He purposely put up a jump shot so that it would miss, hit the rim, and make a noise. A flock of birds resting on a near-by tree flew up in the air in panic. Recently, he'd developed this hatred of being of things being quiet when he was by himself. He didn't want to be alone with his thoughts. There was too much that he just didn't want to deal with. Heartbreak, past relationships— all too much for him at this point.

He and the guys had practically lived at this very park since they were five. Troy's dad would always have them running drills and correcting their forms so that they could become the basketball players they were today. They'd developed their skills together on the very crappy surface he was standing on, and built up a comradeship that they always said would never tear them apart. Supposedly.

Chad sent the ball up again, missing this one as well. The metal clang sounded throughout the park, and a flock of birds flew out of a tree a hundred yards away.

"Hey, dude, you might want to work on those," a voice said behind him.

Chad turned around. Jason, Troy, and, surprisingly, Ryan, were entering the gate that surrounded the court.

"Funny," he said as they sat their stuff down. "What took you guys so long?"

"Hangovers. Right Jason," Ryan said, elbowing him in the side.

"Must you talk so loud," Jason said, taking a basketball from his hands.

"Why exactly are you here, Ryan?" Chad asked as they began shooting around.

"Zeke wouldn't wake up, and they needed a fourth for your little game," he answered, trying to shoot a basket from about two feet away. He missed.

"Alright, he's on your team," he said pointing at Troy.

Being with a normal game of two-on-two, Chad and Jason wiped the floor with Troy and Ryan as expected. Much joy was taken in the victory, causing a lot of spontaneous victory dances.

"Golden Boy brought down!" Jason bragged when they finally stopped for a water break.

"Ha ha ha, shut up, Drug Boy," Troy said, rolling his eyes.

"Drug Boy, huh?" Jason said, lifting his fingers to his mouth and pretending to puff on something. "I like that nickname."

"Really, because I'm not a big fan of it," Chad said, taking the basketball from his friend.

"Come on, man, you can't be that mad at me over last night. I was just messing around," he said shrugging.

Chad looked for a second at his friend.

"I don't want to talk about it," he said, taking the basketball and rushing over to the other side of the court.

"Whatever," Jason said, turning to take a gander at the girls' tennis team practicing next door.

"Hey there ladies," he said to a group of them standing near-by. "Those shoes got wings?"

"No," one of them said.

"Really, I thought all angels had wings."

"Jason, you're an unoriginal pig," Troy said when the girls simultaneously flipped him off.

"Hey, just because I'm living the single life doesn't mean you have the right to make fun of me."

"Oh, but do I?" the equally as single Ryan asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I," he said, pointing to himself, "unlike you, can actually get a girl."

"Hey, Jason, can you here this?" he said pointing his middle finger down as the guys laughed. "Would you like me to turn it up?"

"You guys are so juvenile, it's not even funny," Chad said from across the court.

"What are you doing over there, buddy?" Troy asked incredulously.

"Practicing my three's," he said lifting up his hands, and throwing the ball at the hoop. It sank through effortlessly.

"Why do you need to do that?" Ryan inquired. "You obviously have a lock on them."

"You don't know what I'm talking about, Ryan. I've missed five."

"Yeah, five out of like fifty," Jason said, leaning against the back of the bench. "Come on, come over here and take a break."

"No, guys, I'm working," he said, putting up another shot that went straight through.

"Chad," Troy said sternly. "You already know you're going to get a basketball scholarship no matter what."

"Yeah, well, knowing is good," he said dribbling, "but whole-hearted assurance is even better."

"Since when did you care so much about your future," Ryan asked, remembering the Chad from the year before who just cared about basketball, basketball, partying, girls, and basketball.

"I just do, ok," he said irritated.

"Chad, you are seventeen with rich parents," Troy said, cynically. "You're future is going to be perfectly fine."

Chad practically hurled the ball at the basket.

"My parents don't run my life anymore," he all but roared.

"Whatever, man," the other three said together, turning back around to gaze at the tennis team. The ball Chad had thrown bounced off carelessly as Chad stood stationary in the middle of the court. The birds he'd disturbed earlier were gradually making their way back to the oak tree they'd been resting on previously. Chad took a deep breath, and ran his fingers through his hair. The light glinted off the silver metal that made up the skull ring he had on his left hand. He stared at the accessory. It occurred to him that it might be considered something odd to wear while playing basketball, but he never left home without it.

* * *

AN: Ok, so this chapter was too big to post in one chapter, so it continues on into the next one.


	3. All Those Thoughts: Kelsi Part Two

AN: Two chaps in one day, WHOA, I'm cool!

* * *

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Kelsi blurted out, storming in the front door of her workplace, _The Cup Café_.

"Don't be," Catrina, her boss, said. She was wiping down tables. "Register, five minutes."

"Yes, ma'ma," she said obediently, running off to the back room.

Kelsi quickly snatched up her time card and punched it. She grabbed a green apron with a golden logo on it off the hook. She hastily tied it around her neck as she exited to the café area again.

"You were _this_ close, Kelsi," Catrina scolded her as Kelsi took her position at the counter.

"I know. Stupid Chad didn't fill my car up last night," Kelsi explained to the manager. "I had to—"

"No excuses, Kelsi," Catrina cut her off. "One more time, and you know you're gone."

"Catrina, please, no," Kelsi started pleading with her, getting on her hands and knees to back up her statements. "I need this job, you know that."

Catrina was a short lady with brown hair and icy blue eyes that told you not to mess with her. Her tough love demeanor was notorious among the locals, and some came to the coffee shop just to see her cut down another employee. But Kelsi actually had a great amount of respect for her superior. They'd spent many late nights here together, and could talk for hours on end. They were good friends. Still, Kelsi was never exempt from her wrath.

But now, her boss looked down at her with true sincerity in her eyes.

"Yes, I know do, hun," she said, lifting her up of the ground, "but you're still an employee. And this establishment has rules. You're bond to obey them, working car or not. Got it."

"Yes, ma'ma," Kelsi said.

Catrina disappeared into the back room. Kelsi choked back her emotions and got to work, busying herself with morning preparations.

Kelsi was the only other person on this shift. She actually preferred morning shifts to afternoon shifts because though there were many customers, for some reason Catrina didn't schedule as many people. She didn't like many of the other people that worked here. Most were either college age students who would complain life or kick themselves for not going back to school, or immature people from her school that only liked to talk about who was screwing who and the latest fashions at the mall. This place was quaint and a little out of the way, and most people went to Starbucks anyway. She always felt like she was putting in a good day's work, not just bidding her time like every other teenager with a job. Plus the tips were good, too.

She was trying to concentrate on starting the pots of coffee and warming up batches of scones, but it was difficult because all she could here were giggles and whispers emanating from the corner of the shop, even over the cheesy jazz music Catrina insisted on playing. She turned around and saw two people seated at one of the tables, there heads bent down low, whispering. Kelsi sighed. "_Oh great_."

They were just doing it to piss her off. To make her think they were talking about her. Kelsi wouldn't put it past them in light of recent events. Why else would they come here at 7:30 A.M on the Saturday after a party like the night before? Though, they're make-up was smudged, and odds were they still had the same set of clothes on under their coats. It was most likely they hadn't been to sleep at all. After all, it _was_ Gabriella and Taylor. They'd probably heard her exchange with Catrina. "_Perfect_."

She was used to having people laugh when she got a tongue-lashing, but this was ridiculous.

"Shouldn't you be serving your customers?" Gabriella shouted to her.

"_Oh, seriously_?" Kelsi thought. She closed her eyes for a second, took a deep breath, and stool a quick glance over the table. They both had coffee. And muffins. What other kind of services could they need? Wait scratch that.

"You guys seem perfectly well served," Kelsi said as nice as she could to them. _Service with a smile_, Catrina's motto. No matter what the situation.

"We're not talking about us," Taylor snapped. "We're talking about him."

Kelsi followed her pointing finger. There was an old man with a baseball cap standing at the counter, waiting for service. How he got in without her hearing the bell, or why she'd been too lost in her thoughts to notice him, Kelsi couldn't tell. She looked back at the girls as she served the forgotten customer. They were unsuccessfully trying to hold back giggles.

* * *

"I am just saying, lighting up one every once in a while is not going to kill you."

"Sorry, dude, but I actually want to live into my thirties," Ryan replied to Jason as they sauntered down the sidewalk around noon.

"Come on, the stuff doesn't hurt you. I mean, look at me," Jason said.

All three of them stopped in their tracks.

"What?" Jason asked.

"You are the ultimate case for not smoking the dope," Troy answered him.

"Not funny," he said, waving a finger in their faces as they started off again. "So, where we headed?"

"For food. I'm friking starving, man," Troy complained.

"Ok," Ryan said. "Where to?"

"Mickey D's?" Jason proposed.

"BK," Troy mentioned.

"I got a thing for Wendy myself," Ryan suggested. "What about you Chad?"

Chad kept walking.

"Helloooooo!" Jason drug out.

"Earth to Chad," Troy said waving his hand in front of his face.

"Huh," he finally said, pulling himself out of his thoughts.

"Where do you want to eat?" his friend asked him.

"Uh, I don't care. Actually, umm, I think I'm going to go meet Kelsi. I'll see you guys at practice tomorrow. Later," he said, waving goodbye and crossing the street without another word.

"Ok," Ryan said when Chad had walked out of hearing distance now, "now I know I'm not necessarily Chad's best friend and I don't hang out with you guys that often, but is it just me, or has Chad been acting a little bit _different_ lately?"

Jason and Troy exchanged nervous glances.

"Thank the Lord, we're not the only one who noticed," Troy finally said, relieved. "He's changed a _lot _since last year.

"Yeah," Jason said shaking his head, "I mean, come one, last night he didn't drink at all. He's been taking more of a charge in basketball, and that whole thing earlier about his parents not running his life anymore. What the hell was that about?"

"I have no idea," Troy said shaking his head as well, "and I don't know about you, but I don't even remember the last time we hung out at his house."

"Yeah, and his parents don't come by practice anymore," Jason recalled.

"That's an _odd_ occurrence?" Ryan butted in curiously.

"Let me put it to you this way-- they used to be at that gym more than _we_ were," Jason said.

"It just feels like he's become so secretive," Troy continued. "He used to be such an open book. Do you think it has anything to do with him and Kelsi?"

"Do we even know what really happened between them?" Jason asked. "You know, right before summer started. After all the stuff with Tay-to-the-lor."

"Sharpay has her theories," Ryan explained, "but they haven't told anyone about what happened."

"They're so attached to each other," Jason pondered, "and they don't talk to anyone about their relationship. Almost like they're married."

"It's just not our place to pry," Ryan said.

"I know," Troy said, messing with the ball in his hands, "but I still wish he'd talk to me. I mean Chad's my best friend, that's what I'm here for."

"We know, Troy," Jason said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "He's mine too."

"We can only do so much," Ryan told him.

"Yeah, yeah," Troy said slipping from Jason's grip. "Screw it, let's go eat."

* * *

Kelsi fiddled impatiently with the skull ring that rested on her left finger. She hadn't had a customer in ten minutes, and the dynamic duo was still whispering in the corner.

Luckily after the guy left, slightly irritated, Kelsi got a steady stream of customers. She didn't have time to pay attention to the two tired girls. She had job to do, coffee to make, and customers to please.

"Hey there, Justin," she said to the tall blonde regular that entered the building.

"H-hey, there, Matron of the Caffeinated Beverages," he greeted shyly. "How are you?"

"Perfectly fine. How can I help you here JD?" she asked pleasantly. It was good to see a familiar face.

"I'll just take my usual," Justin said, customarily avoiding her eyes. The geeky computer genius had been harboring a crush on her for years.

"Alrighty," she smiled, whirling around to make his de-cafe latte with extra foam. She popped a blueberry muffin from the warmer, and laid it down next to his coffee.

"You know the drill," she smiled as he handed her a ten.

"Keep the change, my Fair Kelsi," he said admirably, grabbing his order and puttering out the door.

Kelsi chuckled as she got her tip out of the register. She pocketed the four bucks, and went to serve her next customer. Her fingers faltered slightly on the register drawer.

"Friend of yours," the dark haired brainiac asked her.

"Um, yeah. He's a regular," Kelsi said.

"Well, my Fair Kelsi, he seems to like you."

"How very perceptive of you," Kelsi said with fake praise. "Can I help you, Gabriella?" She didn't really try to hide the irritation in her voice.

"I was just wanting to see if you were alright," she said, leaning on the counter. "You know, after last night. I mean, you and Chad had a pretty _big_ fight last night."

"I'm fine," Kelsi said. _Wasn't _**that** _big a deal_.

"Really, are you sure? I mean because Chad seemed pretty upset."

"Yeah, I know. He was mad at Jason."

"Oh yeah, that makes sense," she said, the idea obviously not having occurred to her. "But you two kind of took off, and none of us heard from you. We were worried."

"_Sure you were_," Kelsi said in her head. She tilted herself slightly over the counter top, and craned her neck to the side to see Taylor standing nervously by the ladies room. She was fidgeting like crazy, waiting for Gabriella. "_Oh, this was rich_."

"Yeah, we went home," Kelsi said, getting irritated. "You didn't you really expect me to stay after all of that?"

"No."

"There you go," Kelsi said. "Now if I can help you with anything, please tell me. If I can't, please quit wasting my time so I can do my job."

The supposed genius paused for a beat, clearly trying to come up with some kind of retort.

"You just lost your tip," was all she could think of, dejectedly handing over her money.

"_Wow, what a loss_," Kelsi thought as Gabi joined Taylor at the door, and they walked out to her waiting car out front. She watched as Gabriella conveyed their conversation to Chad's ex-girlfriend. Just as she looked away to place the money in the drawer, she managed to miss Taylor's lips form the word "slut", and Gabriella's in turn forming the word "whore."

* * *

"Hey there, young Mr. Danforth," Mrs. Jenkins, the landlady who lived on the bottom floor of the apartment building, greeted Chad. "How are you doing?"

"Perfectly fine, Mrs. Jenkins, how about you?" he answered the older women.

"Eh, getting along, getting along."

"Did you happen to see if Kelsi was home yet?"

"Mr. Danforth, are you telling me that you don't even know where your own wife is at any point in the day?" Mrs. Jenkins joked, spraying off the sidewalk in front of her.

Chad laughed.

"I just didn't know if she picked up another shift or not," he responded. "You know, we got rent to pay."

"Yeah, when am I getting that?" she pestered him.

"Soon," Chad said defensively, "I swear."

"Mmm-hmm," she said suspiciously. "Well, Kelsi's inside. Came home 'bout twenty minutes ago. Is everything ok?"

"What do you mean?" Chad asked.

"Well, she came through kind of quiet, barely said hello. And you don't look so happy yourself. You guys all right."

"Yes," Chad said, unconvincingly. "I'll see you later, Mrs. Jenkins."

He hurried up the four flights of stairs that lead to their apartment.

* * *

"Kelsi?" Chad hollered, as he entered the apartment.

"Over here," she said from the couch.

Kelsi was stretched out across the sofa, half-asleep.

"What are you doing?" he asked her, closing the door behind him.

"Nothing, just thinking," she said, pulling herself up.

"You ok?" he asked, throwing his bag down onto the coffee table.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "Just a little tired."

"You needed to quit picking up all those busy shifts," he said, moving her feet out of the way, and sitting down on the couch.

"Those busy shifts pay for this apartment," she retorted, placing her legs onto his lap.

"That's not my fault," he said, starting to rub her feet.

"You wanted the extra furniture," she said, laying her head back and closing her eyes.

"Kelsi, that was four months ago," he said.

"I know," she said, looking up at him. "I don't mind."

Chad looked down at his girl. This was a time when he thought of her as the most beautiful. She was a hard worker, and had always been. She took care of herself, and him. And seeing her there, his, was just one of the greatest feelings he'd been able to feel in recent months.

"Are you bothered by anything right now?" he asked her.

She snaked her hand out from under her, and reached it toward him. He grabbed it.

"Of course not," she said. "Things are fine."

"Yeah," he said back. "Of course they are."

They sat there, for about five minutes. In peace. No disturbances, no uncomfortable silences. Just them—best friends, lovers, and partners in crime.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked after a bit, opening her eyes and sliding her feet off of him.

"Sure," he said.

Kelsi stood up, and took a long, hard look around the room.

"Why did we feel the need to buy this apartment?" she asked strangely.

"What do you mean?" he asked, pushing himself off the couch.

"I mean, why did we have to get this place?" she continued, barging over to the side of the room closest to the hallway. "I mean, we've got random room we don't use, the floorboards squeak, shower barely works. Why did we have to live here? I mean, we could've bought something smaller, and I could not be having to work so hard to make that miserable rent payment."

"Kelsi, there's nothing wrong with the spare room," Chad said, trying to calm her down. "It's nice to have this room every once in a while."

"Yeah, it may be 'nice,' but it's expensive! I mean, 350 a month, Chad that's ridiculous for two teenagers to have to pay!"

Chad gently pushed past her. Something _was_ wrong with her. He slowly closed the door to the room intended for a would-be nursery.

"What'd you do that for?" she questioned furiously.

"What's wrong with you, Kels?" he asked using her pet name.

"Nothing's wrong," she lied, launching into another rant. "I just realized exactly how stupid we were not to try and find something different. I mean, we're low maintenance. A bathroom, a living room, and air mattress—what else would we need? Do you not realize that we could have a better rent payment if we'd done that?"

"Kelsi, stop," he commanded.

"No, I'm not going to stop. I'm busting my butt at the shop, trying to make enough money so we can live peacefully—"

"Kelsi, you're talking crazy to cover up a real problem," he told her straight forward. "Now, did something happen at work?"

"No," she lied again.

"Kelsi," Chad said sternly, placing his hands on his hips.

"No, Chad, nothing happened."

"Kelsi," he said.

"Ok, ok," she finally gave in. "I had a few not-so-wanted customers today."

"Customers named," he pressed.

Kelsi squirmed a little before reluctantly coughing out, "Gabriella and Taylor."

"Oh really," he said.

"Yes," she said, hanging her head.

Chad sighed, turned his back for a second, and interlaced his fingers behind his head.

"What did they happen to say?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing. They were just being Gabriella and Taylor."

"Oh really," he said.

"Yeah."

"Ok, well then, what's bothering you so much if you know that that's just exactly how Gabriella and Taylor are, and you know that what they say doesn't matter?"

She didn't answer.

"Kelsi," Chad paused, "this is getting old."

Kelsi closed her eyes, placing her head in her hand.

"Nothing they specifically said was too severe," she begrudgingly said after a moment, "but I guess, the fact that people continually doubt us and aren't sure of us makes me revert back to the reason why we're still together and why we're so strong. Seriously, Chad, do you really think we'd be with each other where we are if—"

"Don't even think that," Chad interrupted, taking a hold of her shoulders. "Just because the circumstances where we got together weren't ideal doesn't mean that what we've built isn't strong."

"I know that," Kelsi said, "but I'd be lying if I said that at the time after everything happened I didn't think that you would leave."

"I know you thought that, Kels," he said, "but after all this time do you really think I'm going to leave you?"

"No," she said understandingly.

They stood there awkwardly. Chad started pacing up and down across the floorboards. He had such a long stride, Kelsi thought. He could cover the distance from the couch to the door in two and a half steps. Then again, that could be a testament to how small their apartment actually was. His hair bounced with every step, and his face was soft in concentration. He had this habit of breathing in and out like an ox when he was frustrated. Like a ticker went off in his head, and sent strange signals down to his lungs like one of those automatic air fresheners. It made Kelsi wonder who exactly he was frustrated with at that point—her or somebody else.

Her head was spinning. She took a seat on the arm of the couch, and took her own deep breath. Chad watched her as she looked out the small window in the kitchen. She was going off into the distance, Chad said to himself. She always did. She did it a lot, stemming from her past process of using it to try and think up new ideas. In her deep thoughts, there was always associated that look. The look of not needing to be physically there in the moment while the different thoughts and feelings floated to and fro in her mind. As the life slowly came back into her eyes, Chad stopped pacing, and noticed that a few tears were starting to form.

"Hey, hey, what wrong?" he asked, taking up her arms into his hands.

"Nothing, nothing," she said, wiping them away. "Just a little over-whelmed, that's all.

Chad then opened his arms, and beckoned her into them. She complied, and melted into his hug. She rested her head right below his neck, closed her eyes, and heaved the slightest breath.

"We only have a few months till we can get out of here," he whispered, lacing his fingers with hers. She didn't have to tell him what was going on. "We'll get through it together. Skull to skull."

Kelsi opened her eyes, and looked down at their hands. The cheap, metal skulls rings on their fingers were nestled perfectly right next to each other, a mirror image of their wearers at that exact moment. It was cheesy, but hey, it was her and Chad.

* * *

AN: Ok, so I'm finally back to posting new chapters on this story, and my other story **Drowned In All My Senses**. You guys should check that one out, too. It's been a long time since I've gotten back into this, so I'm asking for just a little bit of feedback. Not begging, but it's nice, you know lol Fellow authors will appreciate it. I should be posting again soon, so stay tuned if you like.


	4. The Alliances We Break

AN: Well, here I am, FINALLY with another chapter on this thing. I really love this story and I'm hoping to be able to do more work on it soon, but for now, just enjoy this chapter. Crazy stuff goes down! haha And guess what, I don't not own!

* * *

Chapter 4

"Dahm ring," Kelsi cursed when the chord she'd tried to hit on her guitar went sour because the untouched bottom string had become, well, touched by her jewelry.

"Why do you insist on wearing that ugly thing?" Sharpay asked, patronizingly setting her purse on one of the desks across from Kelsi.

"Because it's an amazing fashion statement," Kelsi answered. "Duh."

"Yeah, yeah," Sharpay said, rolling her eyes, and looking over to where the other Evans was entering the drama room. "Ryan, get over here."

"Yes, ma'ma," he said, more sarcasm in his voice than Kelsi's. He took a seat next to his sister. "Where's the Darb?"

"She'll be here in a little bit," Kelsi told him. "She wanted me to show you guys my idea for the next musical."

"That was a slightly reluctant statement." Sharpay commented, propping her feet up on the chair in front of her. "Are you being forced to do this?"

"Well," Kelsi said, "now that you mention it, yes, I am. If I don't do it this year, I don't get my college recommendation. So will you, please, just sit there, and shut your mouth so that I can do my job."

Sharpay's mouth came open. Ryan chuckled. Kelsi motioned them over to the piano were all her supplies and notes were spread out.

"Here Sharpay, sing this," she said, pointing to a point on her sheet music. "This is one of many, I don't know if you'd call them famous, songs that I'm going to meld together to make this new story," she enlightened them unenthusiastically. Sharpay took her usual place next to her on the bench.

"_Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene_, _I'm begging of you, please don't take my man," _she sang with Kelsi playing along with her, "_Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene_, _Please don't take him just because you can._ _Your beauty is beyond compare—"_

"Halt!" Sharpay said, standing up the middle of her performance. "In the name of good music!"

"What's wrong now, Sharpay?" an irate Kelsi grumbled.

"What the hell was that?"

"Uh, a song."

"Yeah, I got that," Sharpay said, voice laced with scorn. "What the heck was that song?"

"That would be 'Jolene,'" Ryan inserted all-knowingly into the discussion, "a song originally recorded by one Miss Dolly Parton in 1973. The most recent cover was released by the fantastic White Stripes on their live album 'Jolene (Under the Liverpool Lights)' in November 2004. Also—"

"We get it Ryan, thank you," Kelsi stopped him, closing her sheet music and standing up. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Um… the fact that it is stupid country crap that I will never ever let enter any one of my productions here at East High," Sharpay said.

"_Your_ productions," Kelsi said. "Excuse me for thinking these were still put on by the _Drama_ Club. You're going to have get used to this 'stupid country crap' because Ms. Darbus had already approved this show."

As if on cue, the drama teacher entered the room with her usual flourish.

"Ah, Kelsi, how is the presentation going?" she asked, her face falling at the sight of her composer and her star in each other's faces.

"Apparently, not very well," Ryan said after a moment of awkward silence.

"What seems to be the problem here?" Ms. Darbus said to the three teenagers in front of her.

"This show is going to be absolutely disastrous if you go a long with what this little twit is planning on doing," Sharpay explained.

"This show is going to be perfectly fine," Kelsi defended herself. "You said yourself, Ms. Darbus, that turning country classics into a new show would be a great idea."

"I know I did, Miss Nielsen," she admitted reluctantly, "but to tell you the truth after thinking about it for a few days, I don't know if it _is_ such a good idea."

Sharpay clapped her hands together, squealing triumphantly. Kelsi dropped her face.

"But, why Ms. Darbus?" she croaked out.

"Miss Nielsen, I understand that there is definitely a audience for that genre. But you have to understand that while our productions are unorthodox, they are geared towards a teenage audience. Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and Dolly Parton are just not going to cut it."

"But, Ms. Darbus, I was planning on revising the songs a little so that I could oblige the pop music tastes and have them fit a more contemporary sort of genre."

"Well, if you were already planning changing the music, why don't you just compose a whole new set of songs?" Ms. Darbus suggested.

Kelsi sighed deeply. This was the last place she wanted to be right now.

"The only reason I came up with the idea was so I didn't have to do that," Kelsi said, ignoring the smug look Sharpay was giving her at that moment. "I've got so much on my plate right now with work and school and… stuff that I just don't have time to compose a whole new musical. Either you accept what I've given you, or I walk."

"We both know you can't afford to do that," Ms. Darbus said, staring straight into her eyes.

Kelsi heaved another huge sigh, regretting ever confiding in the woman standing in front of her. She knew too much to argue with.

"Whatever," she said, picking up her books and striding out of the room.

"I don't what I'm going to do with that girl," Ms. Darbus said as the door swung shut behind the distressed adolescent.

"Well, Ms. Darbus, you know what the Big A can do to a person," Sharpay said cheekily, picking up her stuff as well. "Let's go Ryan, I have to meet Zeke."

The twins finally departed, and the teacher took a deep breath as she looked closely at the music sitting before her.

"You sincerely have no idea, do you Miss Evans?" she said to herself.

* * *

Kelsi wrenched open her locker and tossed her remaining books inside. "_The nerve of her_!" she screamed in her mind. "_How could she do that? These are my shows! She doesn't have my talent. I don't see her working her ass off every day trying to compose good enough music so the masses can enjoy. Ok, not masses, but East High is hard enough to impress. She wants to change __**my**__ show! Give me more work! What's so far up her butt that she can't even understand my situation anymore. Teach me teach! Let me do my work the way that I know how, and this point, this is the __**only**__ way I know how."_

She had an urge to punch her locker. It would let go of all the pent-up anger inside of her, but just before she drew her fist back, Chad slipped up behind her.

"Hey, baby girl," he said. "Why the long face?"

"Oh, no reason," she said, sliding down her locker to the floor.

"You're lying to me, Kels," he said.

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are. You just slid down the wall like they do in all those sad movies."

Kelsi looked around her, and figured out how bad she looked right now. Her music was stuffed in her locker, which would barely keep shut, she had strewn herself out like a rag doll, and her boyfriend was standing above pointing out what was wrong. Again.

"My musical has, for the most part, been denied," she admitted.

"Oh geez," Chad said, dropping his book bag. "The Darb blew you off?"

"No, not exactly," she said, and explained to him what had gone down in the music room.

"But you've already been working on the stuff, so why should it be so hard for you to make new music?" Chad asked.

"Oh my gosh," she said. "You too?"

"Well, they do have a point there, Kelsi," he said. "We all though it was weird that you were going in the direction you were when you could have easily done what you used to do just like you did before."

"What do you mean _used to_?" she asked.

"Kelsi, we all know you can get a show on paper like that," he said, snapping his fingers, "but when it comes to getting the music all you need is a little push. I could give you that push, you know."

"But using the old songs were so much easier!" Kelsi said, rolling her head away from her guy. "I didn't have to do much to them besides get new instruments, and then I would've had more time at the café and you and all would be good at East High again."

"Kelsi, I am sure Catrina would have no problem with you working on your breaks," Chad explained to her. "And as far as I'm concerned, don't worry about it. I have basketball to worry about, and anyway, the few hours that I get with you every day are completely fine with me. You need to do what you love, without the stress. Calm down."

"Alright," she said, pushing a smile up. "I have to get to work. Will I see you at home?"

"I'll stop by work after practice," he said. He gave her a quick kiss goodbye in the empty hallway, and she got up and left. And all Chad was left with was an empty feeling of having to go to basketball practice.

* * *

"Alright, boys," Jack Bolton yelled to the rows of teenage boys standing in front of him. "Linebacker stance!"

"_Defense_!" their voices aggressively chorused back to him as they hit their defensive position.

"Right foot forward," the coach commanded. "Mark time."

The gym erupted in the sound of feet tapping on the gym floor. Coach Bolton blew his whistle, and pointed to the right. The lines of basketball players moved simultaneously in a diagonal line to the right. He blew the whistle again, and pointed to the left. The team swung their feet around and progressed the opposite direction. One more shrill sound emanating from the front of the gym caused the guys to sprint forward and land together in front of their coach.

"Ok, good job, boys," Coach Bolton said, dropping his whistle finally. "Now, I'm just reminding you that our next game this Friday is the big one. We're up against Magnolia High School, the biggest, baddest bunch of basketball players in the Southwest. They have a perfect record so far this season, but you know what? I don't care. We're making it to States this year no matter what they say. Now who's with me?"

"YEAHHHHHHHH!!!" the panting adolescents whooped and hollered.

"Alright then," he continued. "Now I'll remind you that I've called in some scouts from some big universities. I sure all of you will play your hardest to try and impress them, but don't over shadow each other. We still have to play as a team. Unity will help us succeed. And Troy, I'm counting on you to show those scouts what good players we have here. They're going to be watching you in particular, so make me proud."

"Yes, sir," Troy saluted him. "I'll do my best."

"Ok, good practice, team. Hit the showers."

The team separated from their coach and headed off toward the locker room. It'd been a long practice. They were exhausted and Chad was no exception, but still, that didn't stop him from pushing the cart of basketballs to the center of the floor and shooting around.

"Hey Chad, ever heard of something called relaxation?" Troy yelled to him.

Chad ignored him and put up another shoot.

"Come on, man, he said hit the showers."

"So what, are you mad at me now?" Troy asked.

Chad brought down the ball he was about to throw.

" '_I'm counting on you to show those scouts what good players we have here_,' " he quoted Troy's dad.

"What are you getting at?" Troy asked incredulously.

Chad played with the basketball in his hands.

" '_They're going to be watching you in particular_.' "

"So, my dad's a dick," Troy laughed. "What else is new?"

"Let me translate some things for you," Chad said, dropping the ball and walking up to him. " '_Don't over shadow each other.' _Don't over shadow Troy. '_We still have to play as a team_.' We still have to make Troy look like a rock star. '_Unity will help us succeed_.' Do what I tell you so my son can succeed, he's the only one the matters. Shall I go on, Golden Boy?"

"I can't help it if my dad wants me to be a high achiever," Troy said, stepping away from his confronter.

" '_Yes, sir. I'll do my best_.' "Chad said mockingly.

"What is your problem, man?" Troy asked confused.

"Nothing. Just- you don't have to encourage him, Troy. Coach is only focused on your well-being, and, I don't know if you know this, but I actually need this more than you."

"Need what?"

"Scholarships, college money, to be noticed by scouts," Chad exclaimed.

"Really, that's what this is all about?" Troy said, taken aback. "You think I'm over-shadowing your chances of getting into school."

"Yes."

"Remember what I said about being seventeen with rich parents?" Troy inquired jokingly.

"Oh, great!" Chad said. "With the parents again."

"Chad, what is your problem?"

"What is it going to take," he said, "to get it through your thick skull that I don't need to rely on my parents anymore."

"Why not?"

"Because they don't matter. I hardly talk to them anymore."

"Oh, so you're saying you're attempting to separate yourself from your parents as much as possible so you can feel like a man— just as every other teenager does."

"Yes," Chad admitted. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

"You don't make any sense," Troy said.

"And to you, it doesn't matter if I do or not."

"Listen, Chad," Troy preached," you're a good player— you have the some of the best three-pointers I've ever seen— but you don't need to fret about small things like getting into school. This is our senior year. We need have fun. You need to stop comparing yourself to me because you're only going to be disappointed. I'm your best friend, Chad, listen to me."

"Why should I?"

"Because, I'm looking out for you."

Troy hadn't been able to see the best friend he'd known all his life in a long time. The funny, loving twinkle that always existed in Chad's eyes was gone. All those thoughts and reasons why came rushing into Troy's head when Chad decided to break eye contact.

"Yeah," he said poking him in the chest, "well that means nothing because you're just a selfish, conceded, little S-O-B."

Chad walked away. Troy would've knocked out his lights out right then and there if he hadn't. Not because he was mad, but because he just wanted him to understand.

"Oh, yeah," Troy called after him. "Well, at least I don't keep secrets from my friends."

Chad stopped in his tracks.

"Your question earlier," he continued, "about your parents. Maybe by giving me an actual reason I'll finally understand."

Chad closed his eyes. He could tell him. He could admit everything that had happened to him over the past year— every reason why he was distant, every reason why his parents weren't around him anymore, every single reason why.

"Nothing I say to you will ever make you understand," he held back. "All you've ever cared about your entire life is basketball, and girls and whatnot. Those used to my priorities, but _News Flash_, Troy, not anymore."

He paused and took a deep breath of regret. He'd kept it all inside.

"That's very respectable of you. I understand that you're close with Kelsi now, and that you don't want to screw things up for your future, but Chad, I'm still your friend. I just want to know what's going on with you."

"Please, keep Kelsi out of this," Chad demanded.

"That's what you're worried about?" Troy asked in disbelief, "me bad-mouthing Kelsi? Chad, I'm not the one that does that, trust me."

"I believe you," Chad said honestly, but suddenly he went serious. "But I don't need you fake sympathy or worry because I can handle myself."

"I—" he paused. "I just want to make sure your ok."

"I know you do," Chad said.

Troy picked up the basketball lying next to him, and tossed it to Chad.

"Take a break on those threes," he said. "You need some rest. You shouldn't wear yourself out before the next game."

Chad took the ball, and set another swoosh through the hoop.

"Three points," his teammate said. "_That's_ scholarship material."

"You only care about yourself, Troy."

Chad stormed out of the double doors at the end of the gym, his last statement echoing in Troy's mind.

"I fucked up, dude," he said after a while to the man that wasn't there. "I thought we were past all that, but, I guess not."

* * *

"Have a nice day, sir," Kelsi said through gritted teeth as she handed change to the man in front of her.

"Four times," she complained to Catrina, who was busy filling up multiple cups of coffee next to her. "He sent the latte back four times because I didn't get the foam right. And did he tip me? No."

"Calm down, and get used to it, honey," her boss said, placing a top on a cup.

"I know and I'm sorry," Kelsi said, starting to stack some muffins inside a box, "but I don't need to deal with stupid little stuff when I have other work to do."

"That's true," Catrina said as she picked up a stack of cups, "but guess what? People suck!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," she said, closing the lid and moving on to another box.

"I have arrived!" Chad exclaimed as he entered the doors.

"Dork," Catrina said, shaking her head as Kelsi went out to meet him.

"You know you miss me, Catrina," he said.

"Didn't you say you were wanting to work, oh faithful employee of mine?"

"Ah yes, I did. Looks like duty calls," she said. She whispered as she pulled Chad in close, "You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said.

Chad took a seat in front of the counter as Kelsi resumed her task of putting an array of muffins into different boxes.

"What's with the array of baked goods and java?" Chad asked after watching them a while.

Both Kelsi and Catrina groaned very loudly.

"Sensitive subject," he remarked.

"Absolutely," they said together again.

"Well," Chad said, slipping off his seat and picking up his bag, "then I think I'll leave you two at that, and sneak back into the break room to see if I can catch a few winks."

"Oh no, you are not!" Kelsi exclaimed.

"I was just kidding," he said sheepishly. "I just want to go see what's in the vending machine."

"Thanks for the offer of help," Catrina yelled as he walked away.

He gave her the peace sign and disappeared down the hall.

"I swear, I'm gonna start charging him entry fees to go into that break room," the manager said.

Kelsi chuckled in acknowledgement.

"—And next time the bank wants to have a fully stocked board meeting, they better tell me a frikin week in advance so I can get everybody on shift."

"Hey, Catrina, guess what? People suck!" Kelsi quipped.

"And, they'll live!" Catrina said, grabbing a box of muffins and fake-stomping to the back.

The bell at the front of the room sounded, signaling that they had a customer.

"Hey, Kels, can you serve him?" Catrina shouted over her shoulder.

"Sure," she said, picking up a towel and wiping her hands. "Can I help you—"

She stopped mid-sentence.

"— sir," she finished, dropping her towel.

The man standing in front of her was tall, elegant, and heavyset. He had dark skin, a reseeding hairline, and was wearing a clean gray suit. And his face was all too familiar to Kelsi.

"Why yes ma'ma, you can," he said. "I was wondering if you could help me find my son."

At that same moment, Chad came back from the break room, oblivious to the new addition to the shop.

"Catrina begged me to carry a box," he grumbled.

Kelsi looked at her guy, very ill at ease.

"What's wrong Kels?" he asked, following her gaze. "Wait—" he said, "Dad?"

* * *

Dun, dun, dunnnn!


End file.
